Service Areas

OutaouaisThe Outaouais region is a vast territory located in the southwest corner of Québec. Bordered to the northwest by Abitibi-Témiscamingue, to the east by the Laurentians and to the southwest by Ontario, it is located along the rivière des Outaouais, which forms a natural border between Ontario and Québec. The quality of life in the region is just one of the advantages that make the Outaouais a wise choice of places to live.

GatineauGatineau is situated on the northern bank of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and is located within Canada’s National Capital Region.

On January 1, 2002, the government of Quebec amalgamated a number of municipalities throughout the Province, including the five former cities that constitute the current city of Gatineau (Aylmer, Hull, Gatineau, Buckingham and Masson-Angers).

Gatineau, whose population reached close to 250,000 inhabitants in 2007, is the main activity pole in a region with which its residents identify, and that includes four regional county municipalities (MRCs): Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, Collines-del’Outaouais, Papineau and Pontiac.

In 2007, the Outaouais had close to 350,000 inhabitants. Gatineau accounted for 71% of the region’s total population.

Of all the regions in Quebec, the Outaouais ranked third in terms of having the strongest increase in personal disposable income—from $14,820 to $21,604— between 1997 and 2006. The personal disposable income of Gatineau residents was slightly higher, reaching $22,185 in 2006.

OttawaSince its founding in 1855, Ottawa has changed with the times, including how the city is governed. In 2001, the new City of Ottawa was created with the amalgamation of the Region of Ottawa-Carleton and 11 local municipalities: Cumberland, Gloucester, Goulbourn-Stittsville, Kanata, Nepean, Osgoode, Ottawa, Rideau, Rockcliffe Park, Vanier, and West Carleton.

With amalgamation, Ottawa is the fourth-largest city in Canada, with a population of 854,000. Comprising 2,760 square kilometres and spanning over 110 kilometres from east to west, Ottawa’s area is a little over 8% urban and almost 92% rural. In fact, Ottawa is now the largest farming city in the country, with more farming revenue than Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary combined. Over 150 communities, from quiet rural villages to vibrant urban neighbourhoods, are part of the new Ottawa.

MontrealWith its 1,782,835 inhabitants, 25% of Québec’s population lives in the Montréal region. Montréal offers an enviable quality of life and is recognized for its openness, artistic dynamism, economic strength and cultural vitality. The cost of living is affordable compared to other metropolitan regions of the same size. Montréal is a safe city where one can live in complete tranquility.

The Montréal region consists of the city of Montréal and the suburbs of Beaconsfield, Baie-D’Urfé, Côte-Saint-Luc, Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Dorval, Hampstead, Kirkland, L’Ïle-Dorval, Montréal-Est, Montréal-Ouest, Mont-Royal, Pointe-Claire, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Senneville and Westmount.